Thursday, August 26, 2010

The University of North Carolina will hold a news conference at 7:30 p.m. today at the Kenan Football Center to update the media on the NCAA's investigation of the school's football program, athletic department spokesman Steve Kirschner said.

Davis' regularly scheduled pre-practice briefing with the media was suddenly canceled. The early portion of practice, which was scheduled to be open to the media, was closed.

For about two months, the NCAA and the school have been investigating a possible improper relationship with sports agents in the school's football program. An undisclosed number of players were interviewed when NCAA investigators visited campus July 12 and 13, and investigators conducted more interviews during a return trip earlier this month.

Defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little were among the players interviewed. The investigation also involves associate head coach John Blake.

One potential violation of NCAA rules occurred when former North Carolina defensive tackle Kentwan Balmer paid for Austin and then Tar Heel defensive tackle Cam Thomas to train in California in the summer of 2009. Thomas confirmed that Balmer paid for the trip, which may be construed as an extra benefit by the NCAA.

Thomas and Austin trained at Proactive Sports Performance in Westlake Village, Calif. That facility is where clients of California-based agent Gary Wichard of Pro Tect Management train for the NFL draft.

Blake, the North Carolina assistant coach, is a former Pro Tect vice president and a longtime associate of Wichard, who also is Balmer's agent.

Since Austin and Thomas trained at Pro Tect and then played for the Tar Heels in 2009, there is a chance North Carolina will have to vacate its records from the 2009 season.

Austin also was connected with the NCAA's investigation at the University of South Carolina, where the NCAA also has interviewed multiple players. Tight end Weslye Saunders was asked about his friendship with Austin, his online interaction with Austin on the social media site Twitter, and a trip to Washington, D.C., according to Barry Saunders, Weslye's father.

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comments:

They're sorry people about what happened and getting caught. Let's let bygones be bygones and suspend the boys who took compensation for a quarter of the first game, that sounds just about right. This won't happen again, Butch says so.

8-10 players, mainly on the defense out for most if not all of the season. What a way to kill the most promising season in decades. One has to wonder how the focus of this whole investigation landed in Chapel Hill and not Florida, Texas, USC, Bama, or the real heavyweights where this stuff is commonplace.

this article is wrong - presser tonight has nothing to do with the ACC investigation other than the fact that the school found about these violations during NCAA investigation and self reported themselves. Good reporting

I bet they announce the new uniforms for this year's team. I heard it is a deeper shade of blue, but not as deep as Duke's. Word is that Alexander Julian is the mastermind and it won't have argyles like the BB uniforms years ago. About time we got some refreshing news from Chapel Hill. Thanks Dick & Butch!

This just in... UNC contacted the White House for speech tips. Butch wants to know how to speak for 10 minutes without saying anything at all. Spin Control 101 tonight...new drinking game: Take a shot every time "no comment" is said (assuming they have the big ones to take questions)

If you're an alum, you're an idiot who knows nothing about football! Butch Davis has always run a clean program, and enjoyed success at higher levels doing so. He was brought into a Miami program that was put on probation bc of the previous staff and how loose they ran things. He straightened things up, and built a team that would win the National Championship the year he left to coach the Browns in the NFL. Anyone who has ever worked with, or played for Coach Davis will tell you he's a guy who plays by the rules.

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About this blog

David Scott has been with the Observer for 28 years and has written about ACC, SEC and other college sports in the Charlotte region. He covers Wake Forest, South Carolina and college soccer for the Observer and (Raleigh) News & Observer.

J.P. Giglio covers the ACC for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1997, and the Observer.

Andrew Carter covers the North Carolina Tar Heels for the Observer and News & Observer.

Laura Keeley covers the Duke Blue Devils for the Observer and News & Observer. Follow her on Twitter.

Chip Alexander covers the Carolina Hurricanes and college football for the News & Observer, where he has worked since 1979, and the Observer.

Luke DeCock has worked for The News & Observer since 2000. He covered the Carolina Hurricanes and the NHL before becoming a sports columnist for the Observer and News & Observer in August 2008.